Golden Gate Bridge May Get a Suicide Barrier
The agency that oversees the Golden Gate Bridge voted to begin studies on a barrier to prevent people from committing suicide by leaping off the world-famous span.
Board members of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District voted 14 to 2 on Friday to move forward with wind-tunnel testing of generic barrier designs, including netting and changes to the bridge’s railings. The district will conduct further studies if any of those options proves structurally sound.
“Erecting a barrier will save hundreds or thousands of lives over the lifetime of the bridge,” said director Janet Reilly.
About 20 people jump from Golden Gate Bridge each year, and about 1,300 people have jumped to their deaths since the bridge opened in 1937. The span is one of the few suicide magnets in the world that does not have a barrier to deter jumpers.
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